When it comes to the functionality and diseases of arteries, veins and lymph vessels, angiologists are in demand - that is, in the treatment of vascular diseases. As a branch of internal medicine, angiology focuses on the diagnosis of a broad range of vascular diseases, as well as on surgical and non-operative treatments and therapies and prevention in order to avoid diseases in advance.
Three areas in the circulatory system fall within the scope of angiology: the supplying and the draining parts of the system - i.e. the arteries and the veins, whereby arterioles and capillaries are among the arterial vessels. The third area then concerns the lymphatic system. The focus here is on degenerative and inflammatory vascular diseases of the extremities - such as the arterial occlusive disease, varicose veins, oedema or thromboses. Brain-supplying vessels are also a particular focus of angiology, for example constrictions of the carotid artery and, of course, the stroke.
By the way, the term angiology is not that old. It was introduced after the Second World War by Max Ratschow (1904-1963), who founded the world's first angiology clinic in Darmstadt.
